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Avoid Immigration Scams: Uniting for Ukraine, and other Humanitarian Processes

1/25/2023

Avoid Scams – Uniting for Ukraine and Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans

Uniting for Ukraine and the Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans, provide pathways for nationals of these countries and their immediate family members to come to the United States and stay temporarily in a 2-year period of parole.

USCIS is asking potential supporters and beneficiaries of these parole processes to be cautious of scams and rumors. There has been an increase in scams and predatory behavior targeting individuals from these countries who may be considered for parole under these processes. Scammers and other bad actors exploit their victims by creating uncertainty and misinformation. Find more information on scams and legal services on the USCIS Avoid Scams webpage.

Some common scams and misleading offers to be aware of include:

Government impersonators: Look out for scammers posing as USCIS officials. USCIS will only contact you through official government channels and will not contact you through your personal social media accounts (such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.).
Misleading offers of support: Look out for individuals who attempt to contact you online or through your social media accounts to offer to be your supporter or connect you to a supporter in exchange for a fee or your biographic information, such as your passport number or date of birth. Supporters should be able to provide financial support to beneficiaries for up to a 2-year period of parole. Beneficiaries are not obligated to repay, reimburse, work for, serve, marry, or otherwise compensate their supporter in exchange for the potential supporter submitting Form I-134A, Online Request to be a Supporter and Declaration of Financial Support, on their behalf or for providing financial support while they are in the United States. Find more information on potential exploitation and abuse in the Understand Your Rights guide.
Scam websites: Some websites claim to be affiliated with USCIS and offer step-by-step guidance on completing a USCIS application, petition, or request. Make sure your information is from uscis.gov, dhs.gov, or is affiliated with uscis.gov. Make sure the website address ends with .gov.
Payments by phone or email: USCIS will never ask you to transfer money to an individual. We do not accept Western Union, MoneyGram, PayPal, or gift cards as payment for immigration fees. In addition, we will never ask you to pay fees to a person on the phone or by email.
Notarios Públicos and unauthorized practitioners of immigration law: In the United States, a notario público is not authorized to provide you with any legal services related to immigration benefits.

Only an attorney or an accredited representative working for a Department of Justice (DOJ)-recognized organization can give you legal advice.

To schedule an appointment with an attorney, please email us.

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How to Report Immigration Scams

7/28/2022

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Often we talk to someone who was a victim of immigration scam. For example, a notary (notario) helped to complete immigration paperwork and apply for immigration benefits that the person was not eligible for, of submitted a frivolous application for political asylum, which contained false information and was later denied. Or assisted in commuting "marriage fraud" to numerous other clients, and an innocent couple who was assisted by the same "notario" got their case denied and placed under investigation.

Please remember that in the United States only a licensed attorney (a lawyer) is authorized and qualified to give you legal advice, help with your immigration applications, forms, etc.

A Notary Public is not an attorney. To become a notary, a person has to pass a simple test, but doesn't have to be a lawyer, doesn't even need a college degree! (It is very different in Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Europe or Latin America, which is why it is confusing to immigrants from those countries).

For convenience of their clients, many lawyers also hold a license of a Notary Public in their state. However, these lawyers are licensed attorneys.

Please do not be fooled by people who offer to help with your immigration paperwork for "reduced fee". Or offer your "free legal advice". As they say, free is only the cheese in the mousetrap.

How to report scam to USCIS: https://www.uscis.gov/scams-fraud-and-misconduct/avoid-scams/report-immigration-scams

Reporting immigration scams will not affect your immigration application or petition.
Please help stop the unauthorized practice of immigration law by standing up to scammers and reporting them. Also, many states allow you to report scams anonymously.

How to Report Immigration Scams

Report the scam to your state consumer protection office. See the table below for state-specific information.
If you lost money or other possessions in a scam, report it to your local police, too. To learn more about where to report fraud and scams, visit USA.gov’s Common Scams and Frauds webpage.
You can always report scams to the Federal Trade Commission. In the table below, we've included information on where to report scams in your state and links to the laws that protect you as a consumer.
Scam Websites and Social Media AccountsSome websites and social media accounts claim to be affiliated with USCIS and offer step-by-step guidance on completing a USCIS application or petition. To report a website or social media account that claims to be affiliated with USCIS, send an email to [email protected].

Briefly in Russian:

Нередко нам приходится помогать людям, которым до нас "помог" нотариус или "иммиграционный консультант", и в результате испортил их шансы на получени грин карты и гражданства.

В США нотариусы не имеют право оказывать юридические услуги, в том числе иммиграционные услуги, такие как подача заявления на полит убежище и разрешение на работу. Для оказания таких услуг нужна лицензия адвоката (а не нотариуса).

В США нет иммиграционных консультантов (как в Канаде, например), которые в тоже время не являются юристами. В США только юрист может быть адвокатом и оказывать юридические услуги, в том числе иммиграционные услуги.

Если вам так "помогли", вы можете пожаловаться властям штата или федеральтным органам власти. Это не будет использовано против вас, но сможет остановить такого "помощника".

Информация от USCIS по линку.

Информация по отдельным штата тут по линку - State consumer protection.

Будьте осторожны и всего доброго!

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Beware of Common Immigration Scams

12/7/2017

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Form I-9 Scams.

USCIS had recently warned about a new scam, targeting employers. Employers received scam emails requesting Form I-9 information that appear to come from USCIS.

Please note that employers are not required to submit Forms I-9 to USCIS. Employers must have a Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, for every person on their payroll who is required to complete Form I-9. All of these forms must be retained for a certain period of time. Visit I-9 Central to learn more about retention, storage and inspections for Form I-9.

These scam emails come from a fraudulent email address: [email protected]. This is not a USCIS email address. The body of the email may contain USCIS and Office of the Inspector General labels, your address and a fraudulent download button that links to a non-government web address (uscis-online.org). Do not respond to these emails or click the links in them.

If you believe that you received a scam email requesting Form I-9 information from USCIS, report it to the Federal Trade Commission.

If you are not sure if it is a scam, forward the suspicious email to the USCIS webmaster. USCIS will review the emails received and share with law enforcement agencies as appropriate.

Payments by Phone or Email

USCIS will never ask you to transfer money to an individual. They do not accept Western Union or PayPal as payment for immigration fees. In addition, USCIS will never ask you to pay fees to a person on the phone or by email. You can pay some immigration fees online only if you use myUSCIS.
Remember:

When you send your application by mail, pay your immigration fees with a check or money order. Write “Department of Homeland Security” on the “Pay to the Order of” line.
Applying for U.S. citizenship? You can now pay fees for Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, with a credit card. To pay Form N-400 fees with a credit card, you will need G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transaction
You can also pay with a credit card in any domestic field office that accepts payments. You can learn more on our Paying Immigration Fees Web page

Winning the Green Card Lottery

The U.S. Department of State (State Department) manages the Diversity Visa Program, also known as the Lottery Visa or Green Card Visa. The State Department will never email you about being selected in the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program.
Go to the State Department’s website to read more about how they notify selectees.

Scam Websites

Some websites claim to be affiliated with USCIS and offer step-by-step guidance on completing a USCIS application or petition. Make sure your information is from uscis.gov or is affiliated with uscis.gov. Make sure your information is from uscis.gov or is affiliated with uscis.gov. Make sure the website address ends with .gov.

Please remember that USCIS will never ask you to pay to download USCIS forms. USCIS forms are always free on uscis.gov website.

Scams Targeting Foreign Students.

If you are an international student outside of the U.S. and want to come to the U.S. for education, make sure you are applying to an accredited college or university. Look for your school on the Council for Higher Education web page.

You must have a Form I-20, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status, to travel. After you are accepted into a Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified school, a designated school official will either give you:

Form I-20, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status –For Academic and Language Students, or
Form I-20, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (M-1) Student Status –For Vocational Students

Schools that are not accredited cannot sponsor you for an F-1 student visa.
Additional information on the Form I-20 is available on DHS’ website studyinthestates.dhs.gov or on our website on the Students and Employment page.

“Notarios Públicos” Scam

In many Latin American countries, the term “notario publico” (which is Spanish for “notary public”) means something very different than what it means in the United States. In many Spanish-speaking nations, “notarios” are powerful attorneys with special "extra" legal credentials. In the U.S., however, notary publics are people appointed by state governments to witness the signing of important documents and administer oaths. A notario publico is not an attorney, and is not authorized to provide you with any legal services related to immigration. Some attorneys might be notaries, but not all notaries are attorneys. Only an attorney or an accredited representative working for a Department of Justice (DOJ)-recognized organization can give you legal advice.

Read more here.

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Fraud or scam alert from DHS OIG

4/26/2017

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If you received a phone call from someone saying they are from "US immigration" from a 800 number that appears to be the USCIS Hotline -- beware -- these are scammers!

The DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a fraud alert on April 19, 2017, to warn the public about a scam using the DHS OIG hotline OFFICIAL telephone number.

Scammers have identified themselves as “U.S. Immigration” employees and have altered their caller ID to seem like the call is coming from the DHS OIG hotline (1-800-323-8603). They then demand that the individual provide or verify personally identifiable information, often by telling individuals that they are victims of identity theft. Some of the scammers had strong foreign accents.

Read the DHS OIG fraud alert Press Release for more details here.

In Russian:

Если вам позвонили с 800 номера, который выглядит как официальный номер Hotline иммиграционной службы США, DHS OIG, и требуют, чтобы вы предоставили вашу личную информацию (номер соц страхования, А номер, дату и место рождения, ИФО и т.п.) - не верьте, это спамеры.

19 апреля 2017 офис OIG DHS опубликовал предупреждение не доверять таким звонкам, и не предоставлять свои данные по телефону. Их сотрудники не звонят по телефону гражданам с вопросами. Это скамеры, скорее всего из-за границы. Многие заметили, что у скамеров сильный иностранный акцент.

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Warning: use only official government websites when applying for a visa to USA

1/9/2017

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Warning: Please beware of scammers pretending to be U.S. government, or USCIS or US embassy or consulate officials, and using @usa.com email addresses.

Usa.com is NOT an official government website - even if it has USA in it. If you receive an email from someone using @usa.com email address, please keep in mind that they are not affiliated with the U.S. government. Govemnte officials use email addresses @gov not @com.

Government websites and email addresses use .gov, and very rarely some affiliated websites use .com (for example, a website to register a passport and schedule a date of a visa interview).

You can see the list of the most common immigration scams here.

In Russian:

Не доверяйте скаммерам, притворяющимся сотрудниками иммиграционной службы США или посольства США, которые связываются с вами с адресов @usa.com или подобных .com адресов -- помните, что если адрес заканчивается на .com - это частный емейл сервер, частная компания или фирма, а не государственная служба.

Официальные вебсайты иммиграционной службы США или посольства США используют официальные емейл адреса, заканчивающиеся на gov. Официальный вебсайт иммиграционной службы США USCIS - www.uscis.gov . Главный официальный вебсайт Госдепартамента США - www.state.gov , и все американских посольства и консульства имеют официальные вебсайты. Также подача заявлений на визы в США и регистрация паспортов для виз осуществляется ТОЛЬКО через официальные вебсайты Госдепа США. Большинство вебсайтов заканчиваются на .gov, и только некоторые на .com - например, для получения инструкций, дат собеседования и регистрации паспортов - http://www.ustraveldocs.com .

Не попадайтесь на удочку мошенников!

Вы можете почитать о наиболее распространенных мошеннических схемах в области иммиграции и как их распознать на официальном вебсайте США тут.

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Submitting fraudulent asylum application is a serious federal crime of immigration fraud

8/30/2016

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A case from New York: a couple of immigration attorneys, paralegals and other office workers in three law firms in NY were convicted in 2014 for a conspiracy to commit immigration fraud pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 371. The group was a part of a multi-year conspiracy helping Chinese clients to submit fraudulent asylum applications to federal immigration authorities.

In 2015, the Second Court of Appeals upheld the convictions.

This is the most widely-spread kind and unethical kind of immigration fraud. Stay away from the lawyers or "consultants" who offer to help to prepare and submit on your behalf any fraudulent immigration application, petition or form. Never sign any blank immigration forms. Beware of immigration fraud. It can end in a criminal conviction, deportation to follow and other serious consequences.

Briefly in Russian: Несколько адвокатов, юристов, помощников адвоката и сотрудников 3-х юридических фирм в Нью-Йорке были признаны виновными и приговорены к тюремному заключению от 1 года до 4 лет за оказание "услуг", заключающихся в подготовке обманных заявлений на политическое убежище для клиентов из Китая. Они составляли заведомо ложные заявления, придумывали истории своим клиентам, разучивали с ними истории преследования и тренировали их как отвечать на вопросы, чтобы убедить офицера в asylum office или судью в реальности их выдуманных историй, с целью получения политического убежища и затем вида на жительство, и гражданства США.

Держитесь подальше от адвокатов, фирм и "консультантов" или "нотариусов", которые предлагают такие нелегальные и неэтичные услуги. Помните, что и для них и для вас это может закончится печально: судимость, тюремное заключение, депортация и т.п. Такие преступные группировки существуют во многих штатах, не только в Нью-Йорке. За многими из них следит ФБР и сотрудники Департмента Гос Безопасности DHS.

Помните, что поодача заведомо ложного или обманного заявления на политическое убежище или другого иммиграционного заявления или петиции - это уголовнонаказуемое преступление.

Read more here.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said, “As the jury found, Feng Ling Liu, Vanessa Bandrich, and Rui Yang assisted immigrants in obtaining asylum status under false pretenses, including by using concocted tales of persecution. These defendants will now join the 27 others who have been convicted in connection with this sprawling immigration fraud scheme.”

According to the Indictment filed in Manhattan federal court, public court filings, and the evidence admitted at trial:

Liu, a lawyer, operated two law firms—the Law Offices of Feng Ling Liu and Moslemi and Associates Inc.—both of which assisted aliens from China in obtaining asylum status through fraud. Liu and her employees profited by creating and submitting asylum applications containing false stories of persecution purportedly suffered by alien applicants. Bandrich worked as a lawyer at one of Liu’s firms, Moslemi and Associates Inc. In that capacity, she prepared certain clients to tell false stories of persecution in immigration court proceedings related to their asylum application. Bandrich also opened a separate law firm, Bandrich and Associates Inc. (Bandrich firm), that assisted clients in obtaining asylum status through fraud. Yang was an office worker at the Bandrich firm and helped the firm’s clients prepare their false asylum applications.

The appelate court upheld the convictions and sentences of a New York City attorney and three law office workers alleged to have been part of an elaborate scheme to fraudulently secure asylum for hundreds of Chinese immigrants.

The appeals court said the evidence was “more than sufficient” to support the conviction of Vanessa Bandrich, the named partner and lone attorney at Bandrich & Associates, on one count of conspiracy to commit immigration fraud.

In the same ruling, the panel upheld an 11-month prison sentence for office worker Guo Qin Miao and a 41-month prison term given to Yuchang Miao. Yuchang Miao, an alleged ringleader of the scheme, managed a Manhattan law office and was married to Feng Ling Liu, another lawyer convicted in the scheme.

And more details here.

Any suspected immigration fraud, including asylum fraud, or other criminal activity can be reported by phone or email to ICE, a law enforcement branch of DHS. Click here.

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USCIS warning about email and phone scam: USCIS Will Never Request Payment Over Phone or Email

8/24/2016

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Today, USCIS emailed me the following warning: please pay attention and watch out for scam!

"Immigrants all over the country are being targeted in scams. Don’t be one of the victims! Scammers may call or email you, pretending to be a government official. They will say that there is a problem with an application or additional information is required to continue the immigration process. They will then ask for personal and sensitive details, and demand payment to fix any problems.

Remember, USCIS officials will never ask for payment over the phone or in an email. If we need payment, we will mail a letter on official stationery requesting payment.

If you receive a scam email or phone call, report it to the Federal Trade Commission at http://1.usa.gov/1suOHSS. If you are not sure if it is a scam, forward the suspicious email to the USCIS Webmaster at [email protected]. USCIS will review the emails received and share with law enforcement agencies as appropriate.

Visit the Avoid Scams Initiative at uscis.gov/avoidscams for more information on common scams and other important tips. If you have a question about your immigration record, call customer service at 800-375-5283 or make an InfoPass appointment at http://infopass.uscis.gov.

Kind Regards,
USCIS Public Engagement Division"

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Scam Alert - Fake High School Diploma Sites

2/18/2016

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The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is warning about fake diploma sites that sell worthless high school diplomas. These “diploma mills” claim their diplomas can be used to enroll in college, apply for a job, get a promotion or enlist in the military. Don’t believe them.
Here are signs of a high school diploma scam:

They want you to pay just for a diploma. Real education programs may charge for classes or testing, but they usually do not charge just for a diploma.
You can earn the diploma from home immediately. If you can earn the diploma without taking any classes or tests, it’s likely a scam.
They claim to be affiliated with the federal government. Individual states -- not the federal government -- regulate high school diploma programs.

Want more information? Read the FTC’s High School Diploma Scams page. It will help you tell the difference between legitimate programs and diploma scams.
For information on how to recognize and avoid immigration scams, please visit uscis.gov/avoidscams.

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Common Immigration Scams: helpful tips from USCIS how to avoid becoming a victim of immigration fraud or scam.

6/16/2015

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Immigration scam by a local business.

On November 20, 2014, the President announced a series of executive actions. However, not all of these initiatives have been implemented, and USCIS is not accepting any DAPA or expanded DACA applications at this time.

Beware of anyone who offers to help you submit an application or a request for any of these actions before they are available. You could become a victim of an immigration scam.

If you need legal advice on immigration matters, make sure that the person you rely on is an attorney who is authorized to give you legal advice. Only an attorney or an accredited representative working for a Board of Immigration Appeals-recognized organization can give you legal advice. An immigration attorney can be licensed in any state because immigration law is federal law. It's important to consult an experienced and knowledgeable attorney before submitting any immigration applications.

The Internet, newspapers, radio, community bulletin boards and local businesses storefronts are filled with advertisements offering immigration help. Not all of this information is from attorneys and accredited representatives. There is a lot of information that comes from organizations and individuals who are not authorized to give you legal advice, such as “notarios” and other unauthorized representatives. The wrong help can hurt. Here is some important information that can help you avoid common immigration scams.

Here are some examples of common immigration scams:

**Telephone Scams**.

Do not fall victim to telephone scammers posing as USCIS personnel or other government officials. In most instances, scammers will:

request personal information (Social Security number, Passport number, or A-number);
identify false problems with your immigration record; and
ask for payment to correct the records.

If a scammer calls you, say “No, thank you” and hang up. These phone calls are being made by immigration scammers attempting to take your money and your credit card information. USCIS will not call you to ask for any form of payment over the phone. Don’t give payment over the phone to anyone who claims to be a USCIS official.

If you have been a victim of this telephone scam, please report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Learn more about telephone scams and telephone scammers’ techniques by visiting Federal Trade Commission-Telemarketing-Scams.

**"Notario Publico"**.

In many Latin American countries, the term “notario publico” (for “notary public”) stands for something very different than what it means in the United States. In many Spanish-speaking nations, “notarios” are powerful attorneys with special legal credentials. In the U.S., however, notary publics are people appointed by state governments to witness the signing of important documents and administer oaths. "Notarios publico,” are not authorized to provide you with any legal services related to immigration.

Please see the National Notary Association website "What is a Notary Public" for more information.

**Local Businesses who are not law firms and not attorneys or lawyers**.

Some businesses in your community “guarantee” they can get you benefits such as a:

Visa
Green Card
Employment Authorization Document

These businesses sometimes charge you a higher fee to file the application than even a licensed attorney (but will tell you that attorneys charge more "for the same work"). They claim they can do this faster than if you applied directly with USCIS. These claims are false.

**Dot-com websites - operated by non-attorneys or people not authorized to give legal advice**.

Some websites offering step-by-step guidance on completing a USCIS application or petition will claim to be affiliated with USCIS. Many of these websites are scammers or fraudsters, often taking money for blank forms or minimal assistance without attorney supervision.

USCIS has its own official website: www.uscis.gov with:

Free downloadable forms
Form Instructions
Information on filing fees and processing times

Do not pay for blank USCIS forms either in person or over the Internet. You can download forms for free at www.uscis.gov.

Do not pay to a non-attorney (not a lawyer) for help with immigration paperwork, applications, affidavit. Oftentimes, they give you wrong advice and can potentially damage your chances of ever becoming a permanent resident (getting a green card).

**Green Card Lottery or DV Lottery scams**.

Once a year in fall, the Department of State (DOS) makes 50,000 diversity visas (DVs) available via random selection to persons meeting strict eligibility requirements and who come from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. During this time or often around the year, it is common for immigration scammers to advertise in emails or websites that reference either the:

DV lottery
Visa lottery
Green Card lottery

These emails and websites often claim that they can make it easier to enter the annual Diversity Immigrant Visa Program. Some scammers even identify you as a DV lottery “winner” and ask for significant amount of money "helping get a visa". These emails and websites are fraudulent.

The only way to apply for the DV lottery is through an official government application process (Department of State website, and only when it's open, during an application period which is usually in October-November only). DOS does not send emails to applicants.

On or after May 1st, you can visit the Department of State website to verify if you are actually a winner in the DV lottery.

If need help, consult a licensed attorney (not one of the "green card lottery" websites).

**INS doesn't exist. It's been replaced by DHS and USCIS**.

To this day, some local businesses, websites, "notarios" and individuals make reference to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). This agency no longer exists!

If someone refers to USCIS as "INS", it's a sign that they are not an attorney, but rather someone unqualified with little knowledge in immigration matters.

INS was dismantled on March 1, 2003, and most of its functions were transferred from the Department of Justice to three new components within the newly formed Department of Homeland Security. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is the component that grants immigration benefits. The other two components are U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

All official correspondence regarding your immigration case will come from USCIS. USCIS will communicate with you and your attorney by mail, by mailing you notices, approved work permit and green card through USPS (postal service).

If you need a legal assistance, we will be glad to help. Our contact information is here.

Read here.

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Avoid Immigration Scams: Uniting for Ukraine, and other Humanitarian Processes

How to Report Immigration Scams

Beware of Common Immigration Scams

Fraud or scam alert from DHS OIG

Warning: use only official government websites when applying for a visa to USA

Submitting fraudulent asylum application is a serious federal crime of immigration fraud

USCIS warning about email and phone scam: USCIS Will Never Request Payment Over Phone or Email

Scam Alert - Fake High School Diploma Sites

Common Immigration Scams: helpful tips from USCIS how to avoid becoming a victim of immigration fraud or scam.

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